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How to Write Effective Letters of Recommendation for Children

By Lucy Clarke

Letters of recommendation are often needed for children as well as adults. When a child wishes to obtain a new part-time job, get into a school or join a new club, a letter of recommendation is typically one of the requirements. The letter should detail why the child is competent and well suited for the new endeavor based on the individual's personal experiences with the child. Effective letters of recommendation for children can be written by following a tried-and-true format.

Address the organization or individual to which you are recommending the child to directly. At the top of the page write "Dear Mr. or Mrs. Smith," for example.

Write the date to the far right at the top of the page. Make sure that the date you include is at least three weeks in advance of the date that the letter will be read. This helps to portray diligence on the child and letter writer's parts.

Write the introductory paragraph. Introduce yourself, and tell the reader how you know the child. Detail when you first met her, and the capacities in which you have worked together or accomplished things. Include an interesting anecdote about an experience that you had with the child if possible. This paragraph should be between three and five sentences long.

Write the body paragraph. Discuss the ways in which the child is suited to the position at hand. Detail incidents that you have observed where he carried out related skills. Talk about his personal strengths, and how he has worked to overcome weaknesses in the past. Make this paragraph five to seven sentences long.

Write the concluding paragraph. Remind the reader that the child has your complete confidence behind her, and explain how the child's success in the endeavor would be good for all involved parties. This should be between three and four sentences long.

Add a thank you message on a line of its own, and sign your name underneath.

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About the Author

Lucy Clarke has been a freelance writer since 2007, generating creative content for the publications of each college she has attended. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in visual art from the University of Ottawa, a Bachelor of Fine Art in illustration and fashion design from the Ontario College of Art and Design and a creative writing diploma from George Brown College.